Meaningful Melody
by K9GM3
Summary: Cat and Jade have always had great chemistry in their performances. An improv assignment shines some light on why that is.


"Alright, class! Today, we're going to do something a _little_ different!" Sikowitz announced, as if his exercises were ever the same. "Today, we're doing song improv! Mister Harris, would you please come up on the stage with me?" Once he had André by his side, Sikowitz continued. "Now then, we have here… a piano! I've been told that you're a pretty good piano player?" André nodded. "Splendid! You'll be doing the music. Improvise! The rest of you will improvise a song to go along with André's music. Now then, the first couple…"

Apparently, it was a two-person exercise. Cat watched with excitement. The songs were always her favourite part of any play. In fact, she had to actively suppress the urge to hum _Finally Falling_ right now. _'Suddenly I can see hmmm dmmm doo doo dee doo…'_ When she saw the people staring, Cat realised that she'd been unable to quite suppress the urge. She whispered an apology and tried to enjoy the shows.

It was hard to enjoy. André did a great job with the music, but her classmates seemed to have trouble with either getting into the rhythm or coming up with lyrics. The chemistry between partners was also fairly poor, at least for most of them; Robbie and Rex were an exception, but then again, the two of them did spend most of their time together.

"And our penultimate performance for today… Cat and Tori!" Sikowitz said. After a quick look at his class, he realised the problem with that statement. "Oh, Tori's not here today… In that case, Cat and Jade. And that completes my list, so you'll be the last performance! Come on up, would you?"

An anxious Cat climbed onto the stage, followed closely by Jade. They'd worked together many times before, and generally had good chemistry, but Cat still felt a bit nervous whenever she had to perform with the dark girl. Every single time, she was worried to let Jade down. Like with every other time, she vowed not to let that happen.

* * *

André tapped a meter on the piano board, to let the girls know what pace they'd have to sing at. They gave him a small nod, and he started playing. It was a calm, quiet melody – one that expressed contentment. Cat quickly picked up on the emotions conveyed and began singing.

"_If I were to change, if life were to change,  
Who knows what those changes might be?"_

"_Those changes would never come into existence,  
Not if it were up to me."_

Cat smiled inwardly. As always, Jade knew exactly when she was expected to do her lines, she knew where Cat was going with the lyrical theme, she adapted the rhythm perfectly… It was chemistry that she'd never achieved with another partner.

"_My life's a highway of bright, pretty colours."  
"__My life is black like a cool, quiet shade."  
"__I could not live in her dark, scary world."  
"__I could not keep up with her pace."_

A moment of silence fell. André understood that the intro was over, and raised the tempo a little. While his main melody was still calm, a dissonant chord could be heard throughout it. The girls resumed singing; their heavy emphases formed a strong contrast to the calm music that guided them.

"_Let me brighten your world, so that you can see!"  
"__Won't you, why won't you let me catch up?"  
"__I can't." _– _"Why not?" _– _"I need to run."  
"__Then please run your colours to me."_

Another pause, filled with increasingly complex piano music. André's performance got louder and louder, its tone approaching that of desperation. Near the climax, the girls sang in unison. Although they had different lyrics and melodies, their songs somehow fit together.

"_When your shadow is lifted…" _ – _"Please never leave me."  
"__I see why you stay here." _– _"Please do not go."  
"__I wish I could calm down." _– _"Now I've seen your colours."  
"__But I have to move on." _– _"The shade's so alone."_

After the climax, a single note remained: the one lingering remnant of hope after all hope is crushed. It was held for a long time, then several other notes mixed to form a new melody. This melody, like the previous, gained in strength. There was no singing this time. The crescendo passed, the climax went by. A single chord filled what would otherwise be a complete silence, ending just as Cat sang one final line.

"_I have returned."_

_

* * *

_

First, a stunned silence. Then, a slow applause from Sikowitz. Finally, an ovation from the entire class. Out of the performers, André was the only one who actually noticed. Both Cat and Jade were too occupied with each other, as well as their own feelings.

The chemistry was one thing. But that they would both improvise such a song, one that left little ambiguity over the attraction between their respective characters… Could it be that they themselves were those characters?

They were snapped out of their trance by André, who patted them on the shoulder and congratulated them on the performance. They absently returned the compliment, but the thoughts would not leave their heads. Could they become more than friends? _Should_ they?

Only time would tell. One thing was certain, though: after that performance, Jade brightened up and Cat slowed down. Even if only for each other.

* * *

**A/N: Right, so I wanted to do a songfic, but I couldn't be bothered to look up a song that would fit Cade... And since it's a school for the performing arts, I thought it'd make sense if they made a song of their own.**

**Hope you enjoyed this. Reviews are always appreciated.**


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